abu 4600C4 is not the same as 4600C

[DougK]

today I learned..

The 4600C has spool bearings of the common size 3x10x4. The c4 is 4x10x4.

Then I'd bought one of the spiffy new light spools for a 4600C, the spool was $52 and the reel cost me $40. This probably doesn't make sense except I do like the old Ambassadeurs, it seemed a nice upgrade for the fishing I do, small lures for small fish.
But it don't fit.. when the thumbscrews are tightened down it jams ever so slightly and the reeling resistance goes up markedly.
Confirmed with the schematics, 4600C is spool part number 970388, c4 is 970822. Well fool me.

Dagnabbit. My pretty blue c4 doesn't get a new spool then, instead will put it in a grimy unremarkable golden 4600C..

[tincanary]

These really are nice spools and will fit all 4000 size models made from about '92 to present, all Ambassadeurs of this design use the 4x10x4 spool bearings including the C, C3, C4, C5, and CS Rocket.  Have you tried adjusting your spool tension?  If the center of the spool is longer than the factory spool, your tension will increase assuming you did a direct swap with no adjustment.  Additionally, did you pinch one of the brake blocks between the brake ring and frame when reassembling?  This is a pretty common mistake and happens even to us seasoned reel mechanics every so often, this will make it harder to reattach the crank side since there is an obstruction.  Those will give the exact symptoms you describe.  If the spool physically doesn't fit the frame, you would notice some scoring on the lip where it made contact with the frame.  That spool is plenty good down to 1/8, but you may want to do a little more work to ensure it gets there such as polishing the brake ring, line guide pawl, idler gear post, and the area of the axle where it makes contact with the spool pinion.  

[DougK]

huh interesting, thank you..

I bought the bearings that Boca listed for 4600C, which are 3x10x4.

https://www.bocabearings.com/products/fr-008c-y-ld-14882?make=ABU%20GARCIA&model=4600C%20(SPOOL)

Then found they didn't fit, and there is a Boca listing for 4600C3 which are 4x10x4

https://www.bocabearings.com/products/fr-009c-y-ld-14883?make=ABU%20GARCIA&model=4600C3%20(SPOOL)

Next time I measure first instead of assuming.  

The spool runs freely when in free spool setting, the resistance is only there when cranking. So it can't be the brake blocks, as those would affect free spool as well. Tried it with the spool tension cap removed just to make sure, no difference.

I'll try the spool in the 4600C tonight. The interesting question now is if that 4600C has the 4mm or the 3mm bearings..

[DougK]

The spool showed the same problem in the 4600C.

Poked at it some more and found the user error.. the white nylon gear that clips into the spool to drive the idler for the levelwind, was not fully clipped in. Less than a millimeter of extra spacing was enough to cause the stiff retrieve. The gear from the C4 doesn't quite fit, the one from the C does. So a little frankenreeling of parts and the spool fits now into both reels.

I'm still a bit perplexed by the different part numbers for the C and C4 spools.
For C,
https://www.ereplacementparts.com/spool-p-1435254.html
Part Number: 970388
Long list of compatible reels including the Royal Express'.
For C4,
https://www.ereplacementparts.com/spool-4600c3-p-1435395.html
Part Number: 970822
short list of 6 compatible reels, two c3s, c4s, and HPSS C (Hank Parker Signature).
Confirmed these part numbers at https://www.abugarcia.com/pages/abugarcia-reel-schematics

oh well call it close enough to a win for tonight and go on..